(Eagle News) — The Sandiganbayan has dismissed the graft case filed against former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general Augusto Syjuco Jr. over the alleged anomalous purchase of farm inputs in 2004.
In a 12-page resolution issued on March 16, the First Division said it was “constrained, much to its regret” to grant Syjuco’s motion to dismiss the case, which “dragged close to 12 years, and not just three years and nine months as claimed by the prosecution.”
In making the argument, the anti-graft court gave credence to Syjuco’s argument in his motion to dismiss.
“The court found no plausible explanation why the OMB needed these number of years just to determine the presence of probable cause to indict the accused-movants,” the court said, noting that such “inordinate delay” was a violation of Syjuco’s right to a speedy disposition of the case.
The anti-graft court also granted the dismissal motions filed by Syjuco’s co-accused—former Alimodian, Iloilo vice mayor Ramon Anino, and then-councilors Emmanual Adricula, Aquiles Cabaluna, Miguel Ambong, Geefre Alonsabe, and Job Almacen.
The court also ordered the lifting of the hold departure orders (HDOs) issued against them and the release of their respective bail bonds.
The graft case filed against Syjuco and the others stemmed from the alleged misuse of the P5-million budget to implement the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The Ombudsman accused then-Iloilo Representative Syjuco and some local officials of Alimodian of conspiring with Timoteo Salvilla, Edgardo Comoda, and Corazon Taladua, then-executives of the Tawo Kag Duta sa Kauswagan Cooperative for this.
The cooperative, which the Ombudsman said was not accredited to enter into any memorandum of agreement with the government based on Commission on Audit requirements, had been tapped to be a non-government organization-partner for the procurement of farm inputs for Alimodian town.
